Flange forming tool for openings in sheet metal



Jan. 11, 1949. EVENSEN 2,458,842

FLANGE FORMING TOOL FOR OPENINGS IN SHEET METAL Filed Jan. 5,- 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /6 PJ Z- i 24 V IHIIHTHTHIHIH' nnn'llllllllllll I IIIHIHIIII" Inventor c. EVENSEN Jan. 11, 1949.

FLANGE FORMING TOOL FOR OPENINGS IN SHEET METAL Filed Jan. 5, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irwen'tor c. EV'ENSEN' Jan. 11,1949.

FLANGE FORMING TOOL FOR OPENINGS IN SHEET METAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 5,, 1946 I u ventor Q S n m m a 0 a Patented Jan. 11, 1949 FLANGE FORMING TOOL FOR OPENINGS IN SHEET METAL Christian Evensen, Melrose Park, Ill.

Application January 5, 1946, Serial No. 639,227

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in tools for forming flanges in the openings of sheet metal and more particularly to a tool of this character adapted for forming flanges in the openings of stainless steel steam table tops.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character by means of which the flanges may be formed in the openings of the stainless steel steam table tops without danger of scratching or otherwise marring the surface of the table tops,

A further object of invention is to provide a work table having a clamping lid hinged thereto and of a size conforming to the size of the table top in which the flanged openings are to be formed and by means of which the table top may be clamped in position to protect the finish on the surface of the table top while the flanged openings are being formed therein.

A further object of invention is to provide a flange forming tool adapted for easily and quickly clamping in position above and below the work table with the steam table top held therebetween and whereby the flange forming tool may be easily and quickly detached and moved in position over the several openings in the steam table top for forming the flanges thereon without necessitating removal of the steam table top from the work bench.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the wrench for operating the flange forming die.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the die at the completion of its flange forming operation.

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the lower clamping plate.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ring forming the base of the clamping stand.

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view of the die.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the work bench with the hinged clamping top in raised position.

Figure 11 is a plan view of a steam table top in which the flanged openings are formed by the device.

Figure 12 is a side elevational View thereof, and

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the flange forming die.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of invention, the numeral 5 designates a work bench generally which includes the corner posts 6 and a stationary top 1 of sheet metal welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper ends of the posts 6.

The top 1 constitutes a lower clamping plate with which an upper clamping plate 8 cooperates, the plate 8 being hingedly connected to one edge of the top 1 for vertical swinging movement relative thereto. The lower clamping plate 1 and upper clamping plate 8 are formed with aligned openings 9 and Ill respectively and with which the opening I l formed in, a stainless steel steam table top l2 are adapted to register when the table top I2 is clamped into position between the upper and lower clamping members of the work bench in the manner as shown more clearly in Figure 5 of the drawings.

To the underside of the lower [clamping plate I, are formed or are secured thereto, such as by welding or the like, a plurality of rings l3 at the edges of the openings 9 to form a female die for each of the openings 9'.

A stand designated generally at [4 includes a ring member l5 adapted for positioning on the upper clamping plate 8 adjacent the opening l0 therein, the ring having posts 86 rising from diametrically opposite sides thereof and welded or otherwise fixedly secured at their lower ends to the ring. The upper ends of the posts l6 are connected by a cross bar I1. If desired, the posts l6 and cross bar I! may be integrally constructed of inverted U-shaped formation with the lower ends of the posts I6 welded to the ring l5.

Welded or otherwise suitably secured to the underside of the cross bar I"! is a bar I8 in which the upper end of a screw 19 is secured, the screw extending downwardly through the aligned openings 9, I 0 and II with a cup-shaped clamping plate 20 freely mounted at the lower end of the screw and secured in clamping engagement with the lower edge of the female die H by a nut 2|.

By tightening the nut 2| the ring l5 of the stand M will be tightly clamped on the upper surface of the upper clamping plate 8 and the clamping plate 20 will be tightly clamped against the bottom edge of the ring I3.

The opening II is of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the openings 9 and ID for engagement by a male die 22 freely mounted on the screw 19, the die 22 being in the form of a disc-like block having rounded lower edges 23. The die 22 is forced downwardly on the screw H! by a nut 24 threaded on the screw and adapted for manipulation by a wrench 25 of a type such as shown in Figure 4.

With the tool secured in position on the work bench as shown in Figure 5 and with a stainless steel table top clamped between the upper and lower clamping plates 1 and 8, the forcing of the male die 22 downwardly by the nut 24 will bend the edge of the opening H of the table top downwardly in the female die l3 to thus form a flange 26 at the edges of the opening I l Upon removal of the nut 2| and clamping plate 20 the male die 22 may also be removed from the lower end of the screw I 9 and the stand l4 moved into a new position for repeating the operation to form the flanges on the underside of the steam table top at each of the openings I I.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for flanging an aperture in a metal lic sheet, comprising in combination, a pair of clamping plates adapted to receive said sheet thereb-etween, means for clamping said plates against said sheet, said plates being formed with aligned openings, the openings in one of said plates being surrounded by an annular flange constituting a female die, a screw-threaded shaft extending through said openings, a clamping disc and a male die positioned on said shaft, said disc engaging said flange, and a pair of clamping nuts on said shaft for urging said mal-e die and said disc together, wherein said means include a substantially U-shaped frame including a pair of spaced legs and a cross-bar connecting the same together, one end of said shaft being secured to said cross-bar, and said legs engaging one of said plates.

2. A device for fianging apertures in a metallic sheet, comprising in combination, a pair of superimposed clamping plates adapted to receive said sheet therebetween, said plates being formed with pairs of aligned openings, the openings in the lower of said plates being surrounded by annular, downwardly projecting flanges constituting female dies, a ring adapted to rest upon the upper of said plates, a pair of diametrically opposed, upstanding l-egs provided on said ring, a

cross-bar connecting together the upper ends of said legs, a screw-threaded, vertical shaft secured at the upper end thereof to said cross-member, a cup-shaped clamping disc and a male die positioned on the lower end portion and on the mid- 30 portion of said shaft respectively, said shaft being receivable selectively in said openings, said disc being engageable with said flanges, and a pair of clamping nuts on said shaft, said nuts being disposed above said male die and below said disc.

CI-mISTIAN EVENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 3,966 Regan May 10, 1870 192,448 Morgan et a1. June 26, 1877 

